One-hit wonders: Players who scored just once for the Dynamo

Hundreds and hundreds of men have put on the orange (and other colors) of the Houston Dynamo. Some of them like Brian Ching, Mauro Manotas, and Will Bruin scored 50 plus goals for the club. Many others never found the back of the net in a Houston shirt. But, there is a select group of 18 who scored once for the Houston Dynamo. Today we take a look at this crew of one-hit wonders.

Matias Zaldivar

If you don’t remember Zaldivar ever playing for the Dynamo, you aren’t alone. The Argentine playmaker never played a game in MLS but he did get called in from RGVFC to play in a US Open Cup match in 2018 where he scored in the 5-0 win against NTX Rayados.

Stephen Wondolowski

Stephen’s brother had a pretty good MLS career. Stephen didn’t have as illustrious a career but did score once for the Dynamo in a US Open Cup match against the Charleston Battery in 2008.

Abe Thompson

Thompson was acquired in a trade with Sporting Kansas City in exchange for Kei Kamara. He played just once for the Dynamo in 2009, scoring in a 3-2 win over Chivas USA.

Samuel Appiah

Another in the long line of Dynamo draft picks who never did much of anything. Appiah was a fourth-round pick in 2010 and made his debut in May of that year, scoring against Kansas City.

Koke

The Spanish midfielder signed with the Dynamo in 2011. He made just seven appearances before asking to have his contract terminated in May so he could return to Europe. Koke scored his lone goal for Houston against the New York Red Bulls.

Ade Akinbiyi

Akinbiyi came to Houston in 2009, making his debut in May. He scored his only goal in orange in a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the US Open Cup semifinal. The Englishman was released just months later.

Rob Lovejoy

A second-round pick in 2015, Lovejoy retired after the 2016 season and moved in to the business world. His one career goal was an outside the box banger.

Hunter Freeman

The veteran defender spent just one season with the Dynamo before having his contract option declined. Freeman scored a late winner against the New England Revolution in 2011 as his only goal for the Dynamo.

Nathan Sturgis

Sturgis is the definition of a journeyman. He played for 7 MLS teams in his career, including two stints with the Dynamo. He scored in his second stint, tallying his only goal in a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy in 2015.

Kevin Garcia

The man, the myth, the legend. Garcia scored off a corner kick in October of 2018 for his only MLS goal.

Patrick Ianni

Ianni scored a goal of the year in MLS when he was with the Seattle Sounders but he had just one goal for Houston. His lone goal came in his first start, a 1-0 win over Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium.

Eric Alexander

Alexander was another MLS journeyman, bouncing around the league from year to year. He played 43 games for Houston, scoring his only goal in a 5-1 win over Toronto FC on April 21.

Luiz Camargo

The Brazilian midfielder made his only MLS goal one to remember, lashing a volley home from a Brian Ching pass to give the Dynamo a 2-2 draw against the New England Revolution on the road.

Mike Chabala

The versatile left back had two stints in Houston, scoring during his first go-round with the Dynamo. Chabala scored his only goal for Houston in Frisco against FC Dallas after a great run forward.

Richard Mulrooney

Mulrooney won MLS Cup in 2007 with the Dynamo and was a key cog in the midfield during the club’s early years in Houston. As a holding midfielder he didn’t get forward much but he did find the back of the net in 2009 with a long-range blast against Dallas.

Jermaine Taylor

Taylor spent five seasons with the Dynamo, making it to two MLS Cup finals with Houston. The Jamaican defender scored his only goal in 2012 in a win over New York.

Kofi Sarkodie

Like Taylor, Sarkodie was a defender who spent five seasons with the Dynamo and went to two cup finals. He never scored in a regular season match but his only goal with Houston helped the Dynamo to a 3-1 win over D.C. United in the first leg of the 2012 Eastern Conference Final.

Tally Hall

Last but not least on this list is the former goalkeeper. Yeah, that’s right, goalkeeper Tally Hall scored once for the Houston Dynamo. If you don’t believe me, here’s video evidence.

Hat-tip to the Arsenal site Daily Cannon for the inspiration for this article.